COLUMBUS — Senior students from the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) Dental Assistant program traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to take the Commission on Ohio Dental Assistant (CODA) Certification on October 21 and 22, 2017.

The CODA Certification test consists of three portions, a written, clinical, and radiology. The written portion includes eight sections from dental anatomy to sterilization. The clinical portion ask students to demonstrate being chairside ready; this includes suctioning, mixing dental materials, and taking alginate impressions. The radiology section includes a written and clinical portion where students must expose dental radiographs The radiology portion shows that when students are of age, they will be able to take dental radiographs, an integral part of the daily duties while working in an office. Students must pass all three portions to be considered certified by the State of Ohio.

The MVCTC Class of 2018 had ten students who successfully passed all three portions earning their CODA certification. Kaitlyn Bemis (Valley View), received the top score out of the class. The other nine students earning their CODA included Audra Kirchhofer (Dixie), Carly Newman (Milton-Union), Emma Tobias (Tri-County North), Brooke Maleski (Tri-County North), Jordan Adams (Preble-Shawnee), Roxi Draper (Northmont), Jenna Bridges (Mississinawa Valley), Megan Baker (Dixie), and Chloe Baker (Northridge). Nine more students will travel to Columbus in the spring to take the test.

What started almost 50 years ago as the Montgomery County Joint Vocational School (JVS) has transformed into the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC). While the name has changed, the mission remains the same. MVCTC is dedicated to providing training for in-demand jobs and college-readiness skills for high school and adult students across Darke, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Warren Counties.